Type holding device



March 20, 1934. e. D. MARCY TYPE HOLDING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1932 2 Sheets-$heet 1 m Illl I March 20, 1934. G. D. MARCY TYPE HOLDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1932 WNN mmomom IOESNO Zi Fm t N 312 J ONmrI wm OFOS 6 fi. 777w 7 E31: ommomxm Patented Mar. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT o FicE TYPE HOLDING DEVICE Grosvenor D. Marcy, Newton Highlands, Mass.

Application. June 9, 1932, Serial No. 616,207 12 Claims. (01.101-404) This invention relates to devices for holding Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken together temporarily as a unit an assembled 001- on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but on a larger scale;

umn or page of type matter. Pages of type mat Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wedge.

ter are made up of independent type slugs or Fig. 5 is a plan view, on a larger scale, showing 5 pieces and heretofore the type matter of each the type holder positioned loosely about a column 60,

separate page has commonly been held together of type slugs.

during proofing and transfer to the press by a Fig. 6 isa similar plan view showing, in asomecord wrapped about the assembly and tied. This what exaggerated manner, the binding action of old method of procedure is not only crude and the flexible frame upon the enclosed type matter 10 cumbersome but is, furthermore, unsatisfactory and wedge. 65 in consuming much time and because the type Referring more specifically to the drawings by matter is not held with the desired firmness. The reference characters, 10 indicates a column or primary object of my invention is to provide a page of type slugs assembled in printing arrangenew and improved holding device for this purpose ment. The assembling of these slugs is ordinarily which may be readily applied to and removed performed on a flat surface 12 and from such sur- 70 from the assembled type matter, and which will face the assembled slugs must be transferred as hold the same securely together and permit its a unit to the press or elsewhere. The slugs have transfer as a unit. heretofore been commonly tied together by pass- I am aware that frames of more or less rigid ing a cord several times therearound and tying construction have been heretofore proposed for the same as tightly as possible. This method of 76 this purpose, but all of such devices, as far as I procedure is obviously slow, inefficient and unsatam aware, have been objectionable. for one or isfactory. more reasons and none is generally used. My The band 14 of my improved holding device is invention herein contemplates a light .inexpenpreferably constructed of thin, flexible and resilsive but effective device comprising only two eleient strip or ribbon steel and is formed into recments, one element being an endless band or tangular shape and secured together at the ends frame of flexible and resilient strip metal and the 16 in any convenient manner, as by lapping and other being a cooperating wedge constructed prefwelding. The size of the band is such that it may erably of resilient sheet metal. When a page of embrace loosely the body of type matter 10 and 30 type matter has been made up, this band may be leave a space 18 at one end of such width as to readily placed thereover, and the-insertion of the admit the entering edge of a wedge. When the novel wedge of my invention then serves to hold type matter has been made up, the band is placed the type matter compressed tightly together as thereover as the type rests on the surface 12, as a unit with the band temporarily distorted or shown in Fig. 2. The band is of such width that 35 deformed to the outline of the enclosed type matthe face of the type extends thereabove when the ter and wedge. The flexibility of the band perband rests upon the surface 12, as illustrated in mits it to conform to the shape of the type 'mat- Fig. 3. The band is then tensioned and the type ter, and the wedge is preferably so constructed, matter tightly compressed into a unit by inserting as hereinafter described, that its action serves to a wedge, preferably of resilient material, trans- 40 tension the band about type matter and hold it versely into the opening 18, it being clear that the drawn tightly together. Upon the removal of flexibility of the band permits it to be freely and the wedge, the band immediately returns to its automatically drawn into firm engagement with initial undeformed rectangular shape. The conthe type slugs.

struction of such a simplified and inexpensive de- As illustrated in the drawings, I prefer to use vice, for the purpose described, comprises an in conjunction with the resilient band 14 anovel object of my invention. form of spring wedge which further facilitates These and other features of the invention will the efiectiveness of my holder. This wedge combe best understood and appreciated from the folprises a single piece of resilient sheet metal bent lowing description of a preferred embodiment transversely upon itself at 20 to provide two 50 thereof, selected forpurposes of illustration and angularly disposed sections 22 and 24. The type shown in the accompanying drawings, in which matter engaging section 22 is somewhat wider Fig. l is a perspective View showing my imthan the section 24, and its contacting face 26 is proved type holding device in use; a plane surface adapted to engage flatly against Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing'the assemthe vertical face of the end slug. The free lonblins of the devi e onto a c lumn of type matter; udinal edge of this section 22 is also bent over at 28 to provide a ledge for facilitating the inserting and removing of the wedge. The wedge is of sufiicient length to engage the end of the type body along a straight line of appreciable length and, as herein shown, extends perhaps four-fifths of the width of the frame so that each end of the wedge approaches the corners of the frame. t will be clear that the inserting of the wedge is effective to force the slugs tightly together and to draw or bind the band into tight contact therewith, also the resiliency of the wedge acts at all times to retain the several elements thus secured together as a unit.

It will furt iermore be noted that the free longitudinal edge of the outer section 24 of the wedge is bent inwardly at 30 to provide a single smooth bearing surface to engage against the band 14. This section is also bowed in a manner spacing its intermediate portion 32' further from the inner section 22 than are its end portions. This construction, in conjunction with the plane face 26 of the section 22, facilitates insertion of the wedge and assures a uniform pressure along and against the type matter, it being clear that the intermediate, outwardly-bowed portion 22 contacts with the band and thereby equalizes the pressure along and against the slugs. It will be noted also that the angular configuration imparted to the sections 22 and 2-1 of the wedge has the effect of decidedly stiffening them and thus adapting them for their intended purpose.

The band 14, as already intimated, may be constructed of thin, flexible ribbon steel, and in contour it is normally rectangular and slightly longer than the length of the standard page which the printer desires to set up. It is also resilient in character so that, upon removal of the wedge, it may be depended upon always immediately to reassume its initial rectilinear shape. Vvnen the wedge is forced into place, the adjacent end member of the band is bowed into conformity with the face of the wedge member and its two side members are sprung inwardly into binding engagement with the ends of the type lines, as indicated particularly in Fig. 6. The inturned flange or edge 28 not only facilitates forcing the wedge into its band-tensioning position but also provides means by which the wedge may be conveniently removed when the type is eventually set up in the press.

It may be further stated that my construction permits quick loosening of the type matter for the purpose of making corrections, and equally quick tightening again after the corrections have been made, without disturbing surrounding matter with which the page may have been assembled in the process of preparing for the press. A substantial amount of free space is necessary when type or slugs are to be removed from a page, and this space is made available by the simple removal of the Wedge of my construction. When a page is tied with string, the entire string has to be removed to make a correction, and replaced again after the correction is made if the page is still to be handled as a unit, which is an operation consuming considerable time.

A further advantage of my invention is that the frame occupies little space more than that taken by the type matter of the page, so that when the frame is removed it is not necessary to insert space filling furniture to replace it, as the space taken by the band, except at the wedge end, is less than the take-up of the quoins used in looking the page in the form. This economy of space makes it possible to use the space more fully within the chase, which is often a point of great importance. This point is made in comparing my construction with that of sectional frames, interlocking at their corners, or semi-rigid frames of substantial thickness, which usually have to be left around the page and locked up with it in the chase, thus cutting down the effective space for type matter, and necessitating a larger investment in frames, as a sufficient number must be rovided for all forms throughout the process of printing, whereas the frames of my construction may be returned to use on other pages, before the form is locked up for printing.

The ease with which my frame can be removed from the page after it has been set in the form, but before the form has been locked up, is due not only to its construction, but also to the fact that since the walls are so thin, the supporting furniture or chase walls are only separated from the type by a very small space. Moreover, the frame may be removed by merely lifting it vertically and since there are no interlocking corners to disengage, the type matter is given no opportunity to fall or move out of position, and much less time and skill is required to remove the frame and lock up the page than are required under any other system heretofore employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A type holding device comprising a flexible and resilient rectangular band adapted to be placed over and surround a column of type matter and being free to be distorted but having the capacity of immediately reassuming its initial shape, and a cooperating resilient wedge adapted to fit within the band. and by reacting with the band temporarily distort it to hold the type matter compressed tightly together.

2. A type holding device comprising an endless rectangular resilient band adapted to be placed over and surround a column of type matter, and a cooperating resilient wedge adapted to fit within the band between one wall thereof and said type matter, the wedge being of suflicient length to engage the type matter along a substantial portion of the distance between the opposite side walls of the band and the resiliency of the wedge acting temporarily to distort the band and to hold the type matter compressed tightly together.

3. A type holding device comprising a flexible and resilient band of rectangular outline adapted to be placed over and surround a column of type matter, and an elongated wedge-shaped member adapted to be wedged transversely between the type matter and one wall of the band in such manner as to hold the type matter compressed tightly together as a unit with the band, the typeengaging face of the member being a plane sur-.

face and the band-engaging face thereof being bowed outwardly between its ends.

4. A type holding device comprising an endless rectangular band of resilient material free to spring when tensioned and adapted to be placed over and surround a column of type matter, and a cooperating wedge of spring metal having two connected and relatively resilient portions for fitting within the band and springing it temporarily to bind the type matter tightly together.

5. The device set forth in claim 4, in which the wedge portions are in one piece integrally connected together at a bent edge of the wedge and wherein the opposite longitudinal edge of one of said portions is bent over to provide an inserting and removing ledge.

6. A type holding device comprising an open bottomless frame of thin resilient strip steel, initially rectangular in shape, capable of being readily distorted and of immediately reassuming its initial shape upon the removal of the distorting force, and an elongated wedge memher having a plane vertical face for engaging type within the frame and reacting therewith to spring the frame into binding engagement with the type matter.

7. A type holding device comprising an open frame of thin resilient strip steel, initially rectangular in shape but easily deformable and capable of immediately reassuming its initial shape upon the removal of the deforming force, and an elongated wedge member of substantially the same height as the frame and having integrally connected portions, one with a plane face for engaging the type matter within the frame and the other with a bowed face adapted to deform one side of the frame and thereby draw the whole frame into binding relation about the type matter.

8. In a type holding device, an elongated wedge member comprising a single piece of resilient sheet metal bent upon itself to provide two diverging sections, and the outer section being bowed longitudinally away from the inner section.

9. In a type holding device, an elongated wedge member comprising a single piece of resilient steel bent longitudinally upon itself to provide two upwardly-diverging sections, the outer section being bowed longitudinally away from the inner section, and one section having its upper edge bent to provide an inserting or removing ledge.

10. In a type holding device, an elongated wedge member comprising a resilient sheet of steel bent longitudinally to provide upwardlydiverging sections, one being vertically disposed and having a forwardly-projecting ledge at its upper edge and the other being of less height and bowed forwardly at the center.

11. A device for temporarily retaining a body of type matter, comprising a normally rectangular frame of thin resilient strip metal open at the top and bottom and being readily deformable in its contour, in combination with a wedge member adapted to be inserted between the endmost line of type matter and the end wall of the frame to draw the frame into binding engagement with an enclosed type body and thus compress the type from all sides, said wedge approaching at its ends the side walls of the frame and having an inner surface-for engaging the type body along a straight line of appreciable length.

12. A device for temporarily retaining a body of type matter compactly together as an assembled unit, comprising a normally rectangular frame having vertical walls of thin resilient strip metal, the frame being open at the top and bottom and being readily deformable in its contour to bind the type body and tending always to release the same, in combination with a wedge member adapted to be inserted between the body of type matter and a wall of the frame to draw the frame into binding engagement with 119 the enclosed type body and thus compress the type from all sides.

GROSVENOR D. MARCY. 

